Greece and Turkey discuss Aegean

Greek and Turkish officials have met in Ankara for preliminary talks on their disputes over the Aegean Sea.

Both sides described the talks as constructive and they've agreed to meet again next month in Athens.

The countries disagree on who controls the continental shelf of the sea, and any minerals or oil beneath it.

Turkey says a country's area of control should be measured from its mainland, but Greece - which has several islands near the Turkish coast - argues that it should be measured from any of the islands.

The BBC correspondent in Istanbul says that despite a strengthening of ties between the countries in recent years, rivalry between the two runs deep and they have in the past come close to war over the Aegean dispute.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service